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spicedsteward
93 sqm Mid-century modern inspired x TaoBao 4 room HDB
The big decisions we made for our small kitchen (and why)
5928
Designing a kitchen is a huge challenge to marry purpose with appearance and meaning. Being a functional space with pragmatic concerns: a kitchen’s foremost function is to support the choreography of cooking and preparing meals. The room’s constituent elements—cabinets, counters, appliances, wine coolers, etc.—are fixed in place, can be expensive, and take up sizable square footage. Working around these elements can be a huge challenge in a tiny kitchen in most HDBs. 
For our kitchen layout, it was obvious that it’s meant for an open kitchen style. Attempting to wall up the huge opening would be extremely costly. Hence, we decided to work with the layout and seek to bring our the best of the open kitchen. The huge problem of a open kitchen is an extreme lack of countertop space. We do not even have a proper galley kitchen layout and have only one wall for the countertop. 
Given that there’s no walls on the other side for the cabinets/countertop to rest, this means our actual countertop space is extremely limited. After deducting the space needed for hob, sink and tall unit, we barely have enough space to prep. 
Big decision 1: Add a generous serving of countertop space with a kitchen island Our first big decision is to have a kitchen island! Tough decision to make especially in a small home like ours, fitting the island can be very tricky. We also didn’t want a tiny island joined to a dining table. Because of how small that island is (a small square), it makes the space so much smaller. The concern behind having a kitchen island is a lack of countertop space. Think about where you will put your grocery bags when you get home, do your meal prep or roll your bread? There’s simply not enough countertop space in the original kitchen layout. The kitchen island provides enormous amounts of countertop space while flexing as a aesthetic focal point in the kitchen. It also provides new ways to integrate guests into the cooking and dining. Big decision 2: Emphasise on durability and practical stainless steel countertop When picking the countertop material for the kitchen, we knew we wanted the timeless and sleek stainless steel design. Beyond the look, stainless steel is extremely durable and easy to clean. This doesn’t mean it is perfect -- It is also prone to scratches and could be dented, trade-offs we are willing to work with. This align the design concept to also incorporate various materials into our home (as mid-century modern also taps heavily into new production methods and materials). Big decision 1: Add a generous serving of countertop space with a kitchen island Our first big decision is to have a kitchen island! Tough decision to make especially in a small home like ours, fitting the island can be very tricky. We also didn’t want a tiny island joined to a dining table. Because of how small that island is (a small square), it makes the space so much smaller. The concern behind having a kitchen island is a lack of countertop space. Think about where you will put your grocery bags when you get home, do your meal prep or roll your bread? There’s simply not enough countertop space in the original kitchen layout. The kitchen island provides enormous amounts of countertop space while flexing as a aesthetic focal point in the kitchen. It also provides new ways to integrate guests into the cooking and dining. Big decision 2: Emphasise on durability and practical stainless steel countertop When picking the countertop material for the kitchen, we knew we wanted the timeless and sleek stainless steel design. Beyond the look, stainless steel is extremely durable and easy to clean. This doesn’t mean it is perfect -- It is also prone to scratches and could be dented, trade-offs we are willing to work with. This align the design concept to also incorporate various materials into our home (as mid-century modern also taps heavily into new production methods and materials). 
The place where food is stored and prepared is indeed the heart of the home—a central hub in which myriad activities and interactions take place. The most inviting kitchens not only expedite the labor of prepwork and cooking but are also a destination in themselves, welcoming guests and family to relax and hang out. What do you think? Would you want to have a kitchen island next time?
30 July 2025
